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Birth Options for Breech Baby

By Keelie.

Everything was going fine in my pregnancy and I was looking forward to the birth. I went for my checkup at 34 weeks and the midwife told me that she didn't think the baby had turned -- most babies turn at 32 weeks. She asked me if there was a history of breech births in the family and I told her that my mum was born breech by Cesarean. She told me not to worry too much because there was the chance that the baby may still turn between now and my next visit.

So I tried all sorts of natural methods to make it turn; crawling around on all fours was the favourite! I went back for my next visit, 36 weeks and it still hadn't turned. She sent me for a scan a week later to confirm the baby was breech. It was. They told me that if it hadn't turned now, it wasn't going to. I went to see the consultant at 38 weeks (in my opinion this was cutting it a bit short!) and he gave me my options. I could either try and give birth breech but the baby wasn't small and they told me there was the chance I could go into labour and go through all the pain and then end up having a C-section anyway, they could try and turn the baby and I might be able to have a normal birth, or I could just be booked in for a C-section.

I had a week to think about it and then I had to go back. I decided I didn't want to try to give birth because if I did have a C-section, I wanted to be awake for it and obviously they would put me under because it would be an emergency at that point. I was toying with the idea of having the baby turned but I heard many stories that it was really painful and it ended up turning back anyway, so I decided to have an elective C-section.

I went back the following week (39 weeks) and they booked me in for the 20 August (my due date was the 19 so I was a little concerned about going into labour naturally before this time). On the 19th they called me up at home and told me that they didn't think they would be able to fit me in on the 20th now and would call me on the 21st with a date. Well, I just flipped, I started crying on the phone and raving on about how they had messed me about. In the end, they told me to come in at 11 the next morning.

I went in and they gave me a sickness tablet to stop me from being sick after the spinal. They took me down to theatre and I found the whole atmosphere totally relaxing. The surgeons were really nice, they had a radio on in the background and my partner was allowed in with me. The spinal didn't hurt at all but it was weird as I started going numb. The cutting and pulling felt like someone doing the dishes in your tummy! You can feel what is going on but you can't feel pain. It took them about 20 minutes to cut me open and pull my baby out. I remember seeing her leg for the first time as they were pulling her out, I was overcome with joy. I couldn't hold her because although I was only numb from the chest down, I couldn't coordinate myself. It took them about 45 minutes to stitch me and the scar is brilliant, hardly noticeable.

My recovery from the operation was also speedy and anyone who is in the same situation, I would say that the thought of needing a C-section really upset me, I felt like I was missing out, not being able to give birth naturally. But having a spinal and staying awake was the closest thing and I don't regret the decision I made. I am now pregnant again and the doctors are unsure yet as to whether or not I will need another C-section but I know I won't be too disappointed if I do. Keelie x